What is itThe Giulietta is Alfa Romeo's replacement for the 147 and – as the name suggests – the number's up for the company's tradition of numerical names for its cars.

The Giulietta will be available as a five-door only, and will go head-to-head with upmarket small family cars such as the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf.

The nameThe Giulietta was originally going to be called the Milano, but when workers in Milan pointed out that production was going to pulled out of the city, Alfa changed its mind and decided to call it the Giulietta – a name it first used in the 1950s. How very Italian.

The Giulietta bears more than a passing resemblance to Alfa's cutesy Mito supermini which, in turn, was inspired by the gorgeous 8C Competizione supercar.

Inside, the dashboard has been designed with aluminium detailing and rocker controls that also echo those of the 8C Competizione supercar.

The newcomer has more to do than look pretty, however – it needs to have a better ride, larger cabin and improved build quality than the 147 if it wants to seriously compete with rivals such as the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf on more than looks alone.

Vital statisticsAt 4.35 metres long and 1.46 metres high, the Giulietta is slightly longer than a VW Golf, but not as tall. Its 350-litre boot is identical to the VW’s.

The following five engines will be available from launch:Petrol1.4 TBi – 118bhp1.4 TBi – 168bhp Multiair1750TBi – 229bhp

Diesel1.6 JTDM – 104bhp2.0 JTDM – 168bhp

When can I buy one?Alfa hasn’t revealed when its 147 replacement will go on sale in the UK, but it's expected to be some time in the summer.